§ Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost of timber imports in 1965; what increases there was in processed or semi-processed imports; and what evidence he has that despite the 10 per cent. surcharge certain manufactured products, like flooring, are coming in at below raw material cost.
§ Mr. MasonThe total cost of timber imports, including the simpler processed products such as planed flooring, plywood and chipboard, was approximately £272 million in 1965; the value of imports of processed and semi-processed products included in this total was £55,287,000, which shows an increase of £280,000 or 0.5 per cent., on the figure for 1964. I have no evidence that manufactured products are being imported at prices lower than their raw material cost.